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Reyes-Batlle M, Córdoba-Lanús E, Domínguez-de-Barros A, Sifaoui I, Rodríguez-Expósito RL, Mantesa-Rodríguez S, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. Reliable and specific detection of Acanthamoeba spp. in dishcloths using quantitative real-time PCR assay. Food Microbiol 2024; 122:104562. [PMID: 38839225 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp., are ubiquitous protist which belongs to Free-Living Amoeba (FLA) group, is considered as causal agent of side-threatening keratitis or fatal encephalitis among other human infections. Besides, this parasite has been reported as host for other microorganisms important to human health such as Campylobacter spp. or Vibrio spp. among others. This role of Acanthamoeba as pathogen and environmental phagocyte has increased the reports confirming its presence in human related environments, acting as a water quality indicator. Considering the tide relationship between water and kitchen environments, and the high prevalence of Acanthamoeba in water sources, the present study aims to establish a quick and accurate protocol based on DNA extraction and a real time qPCR assay to detect Acanthamoeba spp. in dishcloths. The procedure has been validated by processing 17 used dishcloths. Our findings demonstrated the high sensitivity of the qPCR assay used which was capable of detecting up to one Acanthamoeba from an in vitro contaminated dishcloth. The protocol accurately detected 64.7% of positive samples for Acanthamoeba spp, (in 4 samples DNA concentrations corresponded to 1-102 amoebae). Our findings demonstrate the importance of FLA surveillance by efficient and sensitive methods since one amoeba is capable of colonizing human related food environments such as kitchens sinks and could be a potential source of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Reyes-Batlle
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
| | - E Córdoba-Lanús
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Domínguez-de-Barros
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - I Sifaoui
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - R L Rodríguez-Expósito
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - S Mantesa-Rodríguez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - J E Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - J Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez S/N, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
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2
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Hara T, Fukuma T. Optimized Axenic Culture Medium for Comprehensive Biological and Physiological Analysis of Naegleria Fowleri. Kurume Med J 2024; 70:67-68. [PMID: 38508735 DOI: 10.2739/kurumemedj.ms7012007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuru Hara
- Department of Parasitology, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Toshihide Fukuma
- Department of Parasitology, Kurume University School of Medicine
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3
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Malinowski N, Morgan MJ, Wylie J, Walsh T, Domingos S, Metcalfe S, Kaksonen AH, Barnhart EP, Mueller R, Peyton BM, Puzon GJ. Prokaryotic microbial ecology as an ecosurveillance tool for eukaryotic pathogen colonisation: Meiothermus and Naegleria fowleri. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121426. [PMID: 38471203 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri has been detected in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) in Australia, Pakistan and the United States and is the causative agent of the highly fatal disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Previous small scale field studies have shown that Meiothermus may be a potential biomarker for N. fowleri. However, correlations between predictive biomarkers in small sample sizes often breakdown when applied to larger more representative datasets. This study represents one of the largest and most rigorous temporal investigations of Naegleria fowleri colonisation in an operational DWDS in the world and measured the association of Meiothermus and N. fowleri over a significantly larger space and time in the DWDS. A total of 232 samples were collected from five sites over three-years (2016-2018), which contained 29 positive N. fowleri samples. Two specific operational taxonomic units assigned to M. chliarophilus and M. hypogaeus, were significantly associated with N. fowleri presence. Furthermore, inoculation experiments demonstrated that Meiothermus was required to support N. fowleri growth in field-collected biofilms. This validates Meiothermus as prospective biological tool to aid in the identification and surveillance of N. fowleri colonisable sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Malinowski
- CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia; Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia
| | | | - Jason Wylie
- CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia
| | - Tom Walsh
- CSIRO Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sergio Domingos
- Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia
| | | | | | - Elliott P Barnhart
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Helena, Montana (MT), USA
| | - Rebecca Mueller
- Centre for Biofilm Engineering, and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Brent M Peyton
- Centre for Biofilm Engineering, and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
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Petrillo F, Tortori A, Vallino V, Galdiero M, Fea AM, De Sanctis U, Reibaldi M. Understanding Acanthamoeba Keratitis: An In-Depth Review of a Sight-Threatening Eye Infection. Microorganisms 2024; 12:758. [PMID: 38674702 PMCID: PMC11052265 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but potentially sight-threatening corneal infection caused by the Acanthamoeba parasite. This microorganism is found ubiquitously in the environment, often in freshwater, soil, and other sources of moisture. Despite its low incidence, AK presents significant challenges due to delayed diagnosis and the complex nature of therapeutic management. Early recognition is crucial to prevent severe ocular complications, including corneal ulceration and vision loss. Diagnostic modalities and treatment strategies may vary greatly depending on the clinical manifestation and the available tools. With the growing reported cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, it is essential for the ophthalmic community to thoroughly understand this condition for its effective management and improved outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AK, encompassing its epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Petrillo
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (V.V.); (A.M.F.); (U.D.S.); (M.R.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, “City of Health and Science” Hospital, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Antonia Tortori
- Ophthalmology Unit, Surgery Department, Piacenza Hospital, 29121 Piacenza, Italy;
| | - Veronica Vallino
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (V.V.); (A.M.F.); (U.D.S.); (M.R.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, “City of Health and Science” Hospital, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Marilena Galdiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Naples, Italy;
| | - Antonio M. Fea
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (V.V.); (A.M.F.); (U.D.S.); (M.R.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, “City of Health and Science” Hospital, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Ugo De Sanctis
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (V.V.); (A.M.F.); (U.D.S.); (M.R.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, “City of Health and Science” Hospital, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Michele Reibaldi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (V.V.); (A.M.F.); (U.D.S.); (M.R.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, “City of Health and Science” Hospital, 10126 Turin, Italy
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5
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Sifaoui I, Rodríguez-Expósito RL, Reyes-Batlle M, Dumpiérrez Ramos A, Diana-Rivero R, García-Tellado F, Tejedor D, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. Amoebicidal effect of synthetic indoles against Acanthamoeba spp.: a study of cell death. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0165123. [PMID: 38412000 PMCID: PMC10989003 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01651-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Organic and synthetic chemistry plays a crucial role in drug discovery fields. Moreover, chemical modifications of available molecules to enhance their efficacy, selectivity and safety have been considered as an attractive approach for the development of new bioactive agents. Indoles, a versatile group of natural heterocyclic compounds, have been widely used in pharmaceutical industry due to their broad spectrum of activities including antimicrobial, antitumoral and anti-inflammatory among others. Herein, we report the amoebicidal activity of different indole analogs on Acanthamoeba castellanii Neff. Among the 40 tested derivatives, eight molecules were able to inhibit this protistan parasite. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of their anti-Acanthamoeba activity would suggest that a carboxylation of C-3 position and the incorporation of halogen as chlorine/fluorine would enhance their biological profile, presumably by increasing their lipophilicity and therefore their ability to cross the cell membrane. Fluorescence image base system was used to investigate the effect of indole 6o c-6 on the cytoskeleton network and various programmed cell death features. We were able to highlight that the methyl 6-chloro-1H-indole-3-carboxylate could induce program cell death by the mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Sifaoui
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red (CIBER), área de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rubén L. Rodríguez-Expósito
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red (CIBER), área de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Reyes-Batlle
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red (CIBER), área de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandra Dumpiérrez Ramos
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Raquel Diana-Rivero
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Fernando García-Tellado
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - David Tejedor
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - José E. Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red (CIBER), área de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red (CIBER), área de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Shaukat A, Khaliq N, Riaz R, Munsab R, Ashraf T, Raufi N, Shah H. Noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers, genomic profiling, and advanced microscopic imaging in the early detection and characterization of Naegleria fowleri infections leading to primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2024; 86:2032-2048. [PMID: 38576920 PMCID: PMC10990330 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000001843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This review delves into the strategies for early detection and characterization of Naegleria fowleri infections leading to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The study provides an in-depth analysis of current diagnostic approaches, including cerebrospinal fluid analysis, brain tissue examination, immunostaining techniques, and culture methods, elucidating their strengths and limitations. It explores the geographical distribution of N. fowleri, with a focus on regions near the equator, and environmental factors contributing to its prevalence. The review emphasizes the crucial role of early detection in PAM management, discussing the benefits of timely identification in treatment, personalized care, and prevention strategies. Genomic profiling techniques, such as conventional PCR, nested PCR, multiplex PCR, and real-time PCR, are thoroughly examined as essential tools for accurate and prompt diagnosis. Additionally, the study explores advanced microscopic imaging techniques to characterize N. fowleri's morphology and behavior at different infection stages, enhancing our understanding of its life cycle and pathogenic mechanisms. In conclusion, this review underscores the potential of these strategies to improve our ability to detect, understand, and combat N. fowleri infections, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and enhanced public health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nawal Khaliq
- Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rumaisa Riaz
- Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rabbia Munsab
- Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Nahid Raufi
- Department of Medicine, Kabul Medical University, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Hafsa Shah
- Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
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7
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Dos Santos DL, Chaúque BJM, Matiazo FF, de Miranda Ribeiro L, Rott MB. Agar dehydration: a simple method for long-term storage of Acanthamoeba spp. collection at room temperature. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:153. [PMID: 38446221 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08172-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
This study describes dehydration of agar containing cysts as a novel and inexpensive method for long-term storage of Acanthamoeba spp. collections at room temperature. Five hundred microliters of axenically cultured Acanthamoeba spp. trophozoites (106 cells/mL) in PYG media or 150 µl of amoeba suspension (106 cells or cysts/mL) from monoxenic plate culture was spread onto the surface of non-nutritive agar (NNA, 2-3-mm thick) without or with a layer of heat-inactivated Escherichia coli, respectively. The plates were sealed and incubated at 30 °C. After the encystment, the Parafilm® was removed, and the plates were kept at the same temperature until the NNA was completely dehydrated. The dehydrated cyst-containing NNA was cut in rectangles and stored in airtight tubes at room temperature for up to 3 years. Cyst viability was assessed by inoculating them in fresh NNA with a layer of E. coli and in PYG followed by incubation at 30 °C. One hundred percent of samples from all specimens (19) stored over the 3 years allowed new cultures to be re-established; however, two strains showed reduced viability, at 66.7% and 62.5%, after 2 years of room temperature storage. One hundred percent of the cyst samples produced axenically and maintained in dry NNA allowed the re-establishment of axenic cultures through direct incubation in PYG, with excystment occurring within 24 or 48 h. For the first time, we report the dehydration of cyst-containing agar as an economical and effective method for the long-term storage of Acanthamoeba spp. collections at room temperature. It enables the creation of large collections using reduced space and economical transport of Acanthamoeba strains, in addition to allowing better organization of the collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Leal Dos Santos
- Laboratory 520, Protozoology Laboratory, Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2600, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil
- Postdoctoral Fellow at Master's Program in Clinical Research (MPPC) at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) (CAPES Pilot Program), Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
| | - Beni Jequicene Mussengue Chaúque
- Laboratory 520, Protozoology Laboratory, Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2600, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, UFRGS, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
- Center of Studies in Science and Technology (NECET), Biology Course, Universidade Rovuma, Niassa Branch, Lichinga, Mozambique
| | - Fernanda Fraga Matiazo
- Laboratory 520, Protozoology Laboratory, Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2600, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil
| | - Larissa de Miranda Ribeiro
- Laboratory 520, Protozoology Laboratory, Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2600, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil
| | - Marilise Brittes Rott
- Laboratory 520, Protozoology Laboratory, Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2600, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil.
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8
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Milanes JE, Kwain S, Drawdy A, Dodson L, Monaghan MT, Rice CA, Dominy BN, Whitehead DC, Morris JC. Glucose metabolism in the pathogenic free-living amoebae: Tempting targets for treatment development. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14377. [PMID: 37864277 PMCID: PMC10843269 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic free-living amoebae (pFLA) are single-celled eukaryotes responsible for causing intractable infections with high morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Current therapeutic approaches include cocktails of antibiotic, antifungal, and antimicrobial compounds. Unfortunately, the efficacy of these can be limited, driving the need for the discovery of new treatments. Pan anti-amebic agents would be ideal; however, identifying these agents has been a challenge, likely due to the limited evolutionary relatedness of the different pFLA. Here, we discuss the potential of targeting amoebae glucose metabolic pathways as the differences between pFLA and humans suggest specific inhibitors could be developed as leads for new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian E. Milanes
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Samuel Kwain
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson SC 29634
| | - Allyson Drawdy
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Laura Dodson
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Matthew T. Monaghan
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Christopher A. Rice
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
- Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery (PIDD), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
- Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease (PI4D), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Brian N. Dominy
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson SC 29634
| | - Daniel C. Whitehead
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson SC 29634
| | - James C. Morris
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
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Rayamajhee B, Willcox M, Henriquez FL, Vijay AK, Petsoglou C, Shrestha GS, Peguda HK, Carnt N. The role of naturally acquired intracellular Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the development of Acanthamoeba keratitis in an animal model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011878. [PMID: 38166139 PMCID: PMC10795995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acanthamoeba is an environmental host for various microorganisms. Acanthamoeba is also becoming an increasingly important pathogen as a cause of keratitis. In Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), coinfections involving pathogenic bacteria have been reported, potentially attributed to the carriage of microbes by Acanthamoeba. This study assessed the presence of intracellular bacteria in Acanthamoeba species recovered from domestic tap water and corneas of two different AK patients and examined the impact of naturally occurring intracellular bacteria within Acanthamoeba on the severity of corneal infections in rats. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Household water and corneal swabs were collected from AK patients. Acanthamoeba strains and genotypes were confirmed by sequencing. Acanthamoeba isolates were assessed for the presence of intracellular bacteria using sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and electron microscopy. The viability of the bacteria in Acanthamoeba was assessed by labelling with alkyne-functionalized D-alanine (alkDala). Primary human macrophages were used to compare the intracellular survival and replication of the endosymbiotic Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a wild type strain. Eyes of rats were challenged intrastromally with Acanthamoeba containing or devoid of P. aeruginosa and evaluated for the clinical response. Domestic water and corneal swabs were positive for Acanthamoeba. Both strains belonged to genotype T4F. One of the Acanthamoeba isolates harboured P. aeruginosa which was seen throughout the Acanthamoeba's cytoplasm. It was metabolically active and could be seen undergoing binary fission. This motile strain was able to replicate in macrophage to a greater degree than strain PAO1 (p<0.05). Inoculation of Acanthamoeba containing the intracellular P. aeruginosa in rats eyes resulted in a severe keratitis with increased neutrophil response. Acanthamoeba alone induced milder keratitis. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our findings indicate the presence of live intracellular bacteria in Acanthamoeba can increase the severity of acute keratitis in vivo. As P. aeruginosa is a common cause of keratitis, this may indicate the potential for these intracellular bacteria in Acanthamoeba to lead to severe polymicrobial keratitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Rayamajhee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fiona L. Henriquez
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Blantyre, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Ajay Kumar Vijay
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Constantinos Petsoglou
- Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital, Southeastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
- Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gauri Shankar Shrestha
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hari Kumar Peguda
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nicole Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
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10
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Fatemi M, Niyyati M, Rouhani S, Karamati SA, Mirjalali H, Karanis P. Contamination of fresh vegetables in municipal stores with pathogenic Acanthamoeba genotypes; a public health concern. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2023; 33:1010-1021. [PMID: 35443833 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2022.2067328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. cause keratitis and encephalitis, and are a proper carrier of foodborne pathogens. A total of 70 samples including garden cress, chives, mint, parsley, and basil were collected. Samples were cultured onto a 2% non-nutrient agar medium. The cultures were analyzed using morphological and molecular techniques. In total, 18 (25.7%) out of 70 samples were positive including garden cress 10/22 (45.45%), chives 3/12 (25%), mint 2/13 (15.38%), basil 2/13 (15.38%), and parsley 1/10 (10%). The diagnostic fragment 3 was successfully sequenced in 15 samples and represented 11 (73.3%) T4, three (20%) T5, and one T9 genotypes. In addition, three, two, and one strains, belonging to the genotypes T4, T5, and T9 were ranked highly pathogenic. This is the first study reporting contamination of the most commonly consumed fresh vegetables with pathogenic Acanthamoeba genotypes. Our findings signify the public health concerns due the contamination of vegetables in municipal public markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marziye Fatemi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Niyyati
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soheila Rouhani
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Ahmad Karamati
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirjalali
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Panagiotis Karanis
- University of Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Cologne 50931, Germany
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia University Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
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11
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Fernandez‐Becerra C, Xander P, Alfandari D, Dong G, Aparici‐Herraiz I, Rosenhek‐Goldian I, Shokouhy M, Gualdron‐Lopez M, Lozano N, Cortes‐Serra N, Karam PA, Meneghetti P, Madeira RP, Porat Z, Soares RP, Costa AO, Rafati S, da Silva A, Santarém N, Fernandez‐Prada C, Ramirez MI, Bernal D, Marcilla A, Pereira‐Chioccola VL, Alves LR, Portillo HD, Regev‐Rudzki N, de Almeida IC, Schenkman S, Olivier M, Torrecilhas AC. Guidelines for the purification and characterization of extracellular vesicles of parasites. JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 2:e117. [PMID: 38939734 PMCID: PMC11080789 DOI: 10.1002/jex2.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Parasites are responsible for the most neglected tropical diseases, affecting over a billion people worldwide (WHO, 2015) and accounting for billions of cases a year and responsible for several millions of deaths. Research on extracellular vesicles (EVs) has increased in recent years and demonstrated that EVs shed by pathogenic parasites interact with host cells playing an important role in the parasite's survival, such as facilitation of infection, immunomodulation, parasite adaptation to the host environment and the transfer of drug resistance factors. Thus, EVs released by parasites mediate parasite-parasite and parasite-host intercellular communication. In addition, they are being explored as biomarkers of asymptomatic infections and disease prognosis after drug treatment. However, most current protocols used for the isolation, size determination, quantification and characterization of molecular cargo of EVs lack greater rigor, standardization, and adequate quality controls to certify the enrichment or purity of the ensuing bioproducts. We are now initiating major guidelines based on the evolution of collective knowledge in recent years. The main points covered in this position paper are methods for the isolation and molecular characterization of EVs obtained from parasite-infected cell cultures, experimental animals, and patients. The guideline also includes a discussion of suggested protocols and functional assays in host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Fernandez‐Becerra
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global HealthHospital Clínic‐Universitatde BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- IGTP Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i PujolBadalona (Barcelona)Spain
- CIBERINFECISCIII‐CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Patrícia Xander
- Departamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasLaboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e ProtozoáriosDepartamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasInstituto de Ciências AmbientaisQuímicas e FarmacêuticasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)São PauloBrazil
| | - Daniel Alfandari
- Department of Biomolecular SciencesWeizmann Institute of Science (WIS)RehovotIsrael
| | - George Dong
- The Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreMcGill UniversityMontréalQuébecCanada
| | - Iris Aparici‐Herraiz
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global HealthHospital Clínic‐Universitatde BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Mehrdad Shokouhy
- Department of Immunotherapy and Leishmania Vaccine ResearchPasteur Institute of IranTehranIran
| | - Melisa Gualdron‐Lopez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global HealthHospital Clínic‐Universitatde BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Nicholy Lozano
- Departamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasLaboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e ProtozoáriosDepartamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasInstituto de Ciências AmbientaisQuímicas e FarmacêuticasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)São PauloBrazil
| | - Nuria Cortes‐Serra
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global HealthHospital Clínic‐Universitatde BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Paula Abou Karam
- Department of Biomolecular SciencesWeizmann Institute of Science (WIS)RehovotIsrael
| | - Paula Meneghetti
- Departamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasLaboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e ProtozoáriosDepartamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasInstituto de Ciências AmbientaisQuímicas e FarmacêuticasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)São PauloBrazil
| | - Rafael Pedro Madeira
- Departamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasLaboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e ProtozoáriosDepartamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasInstituto de Ciências AmbientaisQuímicas e FarmacêuticasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)São PauloBrazil
| | - Ziv Porat
- Flow Cytometry UnitLife Sciences Core Facilities, WISRehovotIsrael
| | | | - Adriana Oliveira Costa
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e ToxicológicasFaculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)Belo HorizonteMinas GeraisBrasil
| | - Sima Rafati
- Department of Immunotherapy and Leishmania Vaccine ResearchPasteur Institute of IranTehranIran
| | - Anabela‐Cordeiro da Silva
- Host‐Parasite Interactions GroupInstitute of Research and Innovation in HealthUniversity of PortoPortoPortugal
- Department of Biological SciencesFaculty of PharmacyUniversity of PortoPortoPortugal
| | - Nuno Santarém
- Host‐Parasite Interactions GroupInstitute of Research and Innovation in HealthUniversity of PortoPortoPortugal
- Department of Biological SciencesFaculty of PharmacyUniversity of PortoPortoPortugal
| | | | - Marcel I. Ramirez
- EVAHPI ‐ Extracellular Vesicles and Host‐Parasite Interactions Research Group Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Sistemática de TripanossomatideosInstituto Carlos Chagas‐FiocruzCuritibaParanáBrasil
| | - Dolores Bernal
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Ciències BiològiquesUniversitat de ValènciaBurjassotValenciaSpain
| | - Antonio Marcilla
- Àrea de Parasitologia, Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i ParasitologiaUniversitat de ValènciaBurjassotValenciaSpain
| | - Vera Lucia Pereira‐Chioccola
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Fungos, Centro de Parasitologia e MicologiaInstituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL)São PauloBrasil
| | - Lysangela Ronalte Alves
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão GênicaInstituto Carlos ChagasFiocruz ParanáCuritibaBrazil
- Research Center in Infectious DiseasesDivision of Infectious Disease and Immunity CHU de Quebec Research CenterDepartment of MicrobiologyInfectious Disease and ImmunologyFaculty of MedicineUniversity LavalQuebec CityQuebecCanada
| | - Hernando Del Portillo
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global HealthHospital Clínic‐Universitatde BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- IGTP Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i PujolBadalona (Barcelona)Spain
- ICREA Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avanc¸ats (ICREA)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Neta Regev‐Rudzki
- Department of Biomolecular SciencesWeizmann Institute of Science (WIS)RehovotIsrael
| | - Igor Correia de Almeida
- Department of Biological SciencesBorder Biomedical Research CenterThe University of Texas at El PasoEl PasoTexasUSA
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Departamento de MicrobiologiaImunologia e Parasitologia, UNIFESPSão PauloBrazil
| | - Martin Olivier
- The Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreMcGill UniversityMontréalQuébecCanada
| | - Ana Claudia Torrecilhas
- Departamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasLaboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e ProtozoáriosDepartamento de Ciências FarmacêuticasInstituto de Ciências AmbientaisQuímicas e FarmacêuticasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)São PauloBrazil
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12
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Borella da Silva TC, Dos Santos DL, Rott MB. First report of free-living amoebae in sewage treatment plants in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2023; 21:1611-1624. [PMID: 37902214 PMCID: wh_2023_261 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are amphizoic protozoans with a cosmopolitan distribution. Some strains of species are associated with infections in humans. They feed on microorganisms by phagocytosis; however, some of these can become endocytobionts by resisting this process and taking shelter inside the amoeba. The whole world is experiencing increasing shortage of water, and sewage is being reused, so the study of this environment is important in public health context. The objective of this work was to identify FLA present in sewage treatment plants in Porto Alegre, Brazil. About 1 L samples were collected from eight stations (raw and treated sewage) in January, February, July, and August 2022. The samples were sown in monoxenic culture, and the isolated amoebae were subjected to morphological and molecular identification. Polymerase chain reaction results indicated the presence of the genus Acanthamoeba in 100% of the samples. Gene sequencing showed the presence of Acanthamoeba lenticulata and Acanthamoeba polyphaga - T5 and T4 genotypes - respectively, which are related to pathogenicity. The environment where the sewage is released can be used in recreational activities, exposing individuals to potential interactions with these amoebae and their potential endocytobionts, which may pose risks to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaisla Cristiane Borella da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Daniel Leal Dos Santos
- Faculty of Geography, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Avenue, N 6681, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Marilise Brittes Rott
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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13
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Rojo JU, Rajendran R, Salazar JH. Laboratory Diagnosis of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis. Lab Med 2023; 54:e124-e132. [PMID: 36638160 DOI: 10.1093/labmed/lmac158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a fulminant fatal human disease caused by the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Infection occurs after inhalation of water containing the amoeba, typically after swimming in bodies of warm freshwater. N. fowleri migrates to the brain where it incites meningoencephalitis and cerebral edema leading to death of the patient 7 to 10 days postinfection. Although the disease is rare, it is almost always fatal and believed to be underreported. The incidence of PAM in countries other than the United States is unclear and possibly on track to being an emerging disease. Poor prognosis is caused by rapid progression, suboptimal treatment, and underdiagnosis. As diagnosis is often performed postmortem and testing is only performed by a few laboratories, more accessible testing is necessary. This article reviews the current methods used in the screening and confirmation of PAM and makes recommendations for improved diagnostic practices and awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan U Rojo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, US
| | - Rajkumar Rajendran
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, US
| | - Jose H Salazar
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, US
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14
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Büchele MLC, Nunes BF, Filippin-Monteiro FB, Caumo KS. Diagnosis and treatment of Acanthamoeba Keratitis: A scoping review demonstrating unfavorable outcomes. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2023; 46:101844. [PMID: 37117130 DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2023.101844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are pathogens that cause Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a serious cornea inflammation that can lead to gradual loss of vision, permanent blindness, and keratoplasty. The efficacy of AK treatment depends on the drug's ability to reach the target tissue by escaping the protective eye barrier. No single drug can eradicate the living forms of the amoeba and be non-toxic to the cornea tissue. The treatment aims to eradicate both forms of protozoan life but is hampered by the resistance of the cysts to the most available drugs, leading to prolonged infection and relapses. Drug therapy is currently performed mainly using diamidines and biguanides, as they are more effective against cysts. However, they are cytotoxic to corneal cells. Drugs are applied topically, and hourly. Over time, the frequency of administration decreases, but the treatment time varies from month to years. This study aims to obtain an up-to-date summary of the literature since 2010, allowing us to identify the trends and gaps and address future research involving new alternatives for treating AK. The results were divided into three phases, pre-treatment, empirical treatment, and the treatment after diagnosis confirmation. The drugs prescribed were stratified into antiamoebic, antibiotic, antifungal, antivirals, and steroids. It was possible to observe the transition in drug prescription during three different stages until the diagnosis was confirmed. There were more indications for antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral drugs in the early stages of the disease. The antiamoebic drugs were only prescribed after exhausting other treatments. This can be directly involved in developing complications and no responsiveness to medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luiza Carneiro Büchele
- Laboratório de Investigação Aplicada a Protozoários de Protozoários Emergentes (LADIPE), Florianópolis, SC 88040-970, Brazil
| | - Bruno Fonseca Nunes
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil
| | - Fabíola Branco Filippin-Monteiro
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil.
| | - Karin Silva Caumo
- Laboratório de Investigação Aplicada a Protozoários de Protozoários Emergentes (LADIPE), Florianópolis, SC 88040-970, Brazil; Department of Clinical Analyses, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil.
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15
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Siddiqui R, Boghossian A, Kawish M, Jabri T, Shah MR, Anuar TS, Al-Shareef Z, Khan NA. Nanocarrier Drug Conjugates Exhibit Potent Anti-Naegleria fowleri and Anti-Balamuthia mandrillaris Properties. Diseases 2023; 11:diseases11020058. [PMID: 37092440 PMCID: PMC10123729 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11020058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the opportunity and access, pathogenic protists (Balamuthia mandrillaris and Naegleria fowleri) can produce fatal infections involving the central nervous system. In the absence of effective treatments, there is a need to either develop new antimicrobials or enhance the efficacy of existing compounds. Nanocarriers as drug delivery systems are gaining increasing attention in the treatment of parasitic infections. In this study, novel nanocarriers conjugated with amphotericin B and curcumin were evaluated for anti-amoebic efficacy against B. mandrillaris and N. fowleri. The results showed that nanocarrier conjugated amphotericin B exhibited enhanced cidal properties against both amoebae tested compared with the drug alone. Similarly, nanocarrier conjugated curcumin exhibited up to 75% cidal effects versus approx. 50% cidal effects for curcumin alone. Cytopathogenicity assays revealed that the pre-treatment of both parasites with nanoformulated-drugs reduced parasite-mediated host cellular death compared with the drugs alone. Importantly, the cytotoxic effects of amphotericin B on human cells alone were reduced when conjugated with nanocarriers. These are promising findings and further suggest the need to explore nanocarriers as a means to deliver medicine against parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul 34010, Turkey
| | - Anania Boghossian
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Muhammad Kawish
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Tooba Jabri
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raza Shah
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Tengku Shahrul Anuar
- Centre for Medical Laboratory Technology Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, PuncakAlam Campus, Selangor 42300, Malaysia
| | - Zainab Al-Shareef
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul 34010, Turkey
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
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Siddiqui R, Boghossian A, Alqassim SS, Kawish M, Gul J, Jabri T, Shah MR, Khan NA. Anti-Balamuthia mandrillaris and anti-Naegleria fowleri effects of drugs conjugated with various nanostructures. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:170. [PMID: 37017767 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03518-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Balamuthia mandrillaris and Naegleria fowleri are protist pathogens that can cause fatal infections. Despite mortality rate of > 90%, there is no effective therapy. Treatment remains problematic involving repurposed drugs, e.g., azoles, amphotericin B and miltefosine but requires early diagnosis. In addition to drug discovery, modifying existing drugs using nanotechnology offers promise in the development of therapeutic interventions against these parasitic infections. Herein, various drugs conjugated with nanoparticles were developed and evaluated for their antiprotozoal activities. Characterizations of the drugs' formulations were accomplished utilizing Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, efficiency of drug entrapment, polydispersity index, zeta potential, size, and surface morphology. The nanoconjugates were tested against human cells to determine their toxicity in vitro. The majority of drug nanoconjugates exhibited amoebicidal effects against B. mandrillaris and N. fowleri. Amphotericin B-, Sulfamethoxazole-, Metronidazole-based nanoconjugates are of interest since they exhibited significant amoebicidal effects against both parasites (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Sulfamethoxazole and Naproxen significantly diminished host cell death caused by B. mandrillaris by up to 70% (p < 0.05), while Amphotericin B-, Sulfamethoxazole-, Metronidazole-based drug nanoconjugates showed the highest reduction in host cell death caused by N. fowleri by up to 80%. When tested alone, all of the drug nanoconjugates tested in this study showed limited toxic effects against human cells in vitro (less than 20%). Although these are promising findings, prospective work is warranted to comprehend the mechanistic details of nanoconjugates versus amoebae as well as their in vivo testing, to develop antimicrobials against the devastating infections caused by these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey
| | - Anania Boghossian
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Saif S Alqassim
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, 505055, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Muhammad Kawish
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Jasra Gul
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Tooba Jabri
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raza Shah
- International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, University City, 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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17
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Hassanein F, Masoud IM, Fekry MM, Abdel-Latif MS, Abdel-Salam H, Salem M, Shehata AI. Environmental health aspects and microbial infections of the recreational water : Microbial Infections and Swimming pools. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:302. [PMID: 36765300 PMCID: PMC9912523 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15183-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Swimming pools are places for practicing sports, recreation, relaxation, and socialization. However, swimming pools can expose swimmers to physicochemical and microbiological risks. Accordingly, we studied the environmental health aspects and microbial infections for such recreational water aiming to disclose the possible risks they pose on swimmers. METHODS 26 pools in Alexandria, Egypt were checked for water quality; 13 pools were checked in winter then summer, and other 13 pools were checked in summer only. Water was collected from both the top and the bottom of each pool; a total of 78 samples were collected in sterile containers. Each sample was divided into three parts; the first part was used for assessing the bacteriological quality of water. They were tested for total colony count (TCC), total coliform (TC), fecal coliform, and E. coli. The second part was used for chemical analysis. The third part was checked for parasitological study. RESULTS Obtained data showed that only 7.7%, 78.2%, and 100% of the examined water samples have been found to fulfill the Egyptian standards for TCC, TC, and E. coli, respectively. Moreover, parasitic infection (PI) was noticed in 73.1% of the collected water samples; mainly Cyclospra and Isospora (37.2% each), followed by Cryptosporidium spp., Giradia lamblia, Microsporidia spp., and Blastocystis spp. (34.6%, 21.8%, 15.4%, and 14.1%, respectively). Acanthameba spp. was detected but at a lower rate (5.1%). The frequency of cleaning the swimming pools, flow rate, Cl2, and total dissolved solids are significantly affected PI, independently. CONCLUSION The tested water samples don't meet Egyptian bacteriological criteria. High parasitic contamination despite high residual chlorine level mainly intestinal coccidia, G. lamblia, microsporidia, and Blastocystis spp. Thus, monitoring pool's water quality and improving the disinfection system are mandatory. Consequently, Health education regarding hygienic behaviors before and during swimming should be included in governmental programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faika Hassanein
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Inas M. Masoud
- grid.442603.70000 0004 0377 4159Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Marwa M. Fekry
- grid.7155.60000 0001 2260 6941Department of Microbiology, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mohamed S. Abdel-Latif
- grid.442603.70000 0004 0377 4159Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Technology, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hussein Abdel-Salam
- grid.7155.60000 0001 2260 6941Department of Water Sports Training, Faculty of Fitness Education, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Salem
- grid.7155.60000 0001 2260 6941Department of Water Sports Training, Faculty of Fitness Education, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amany I Shehata
- grid.7155.60000 0001 2260 6941Department of Tropical Health, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Law CTY, Nivesvivat T, Xiong Q, Kulkeaw K, Shi L, Ruenchit P, Suwanpakdee D, Suwanpakdee P, Tongkrajang N, Sarasombath PT, Tsui SKW. Mitochondrial genome diversity of Balamuthia mandrillaris revealed by a fatal case of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1162963. [PMID: 37213512 PMCID: PMC10196457 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1162963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Balamuthia (B.) mandrillaris is a free-living amoeba that can cause rare yet fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). However, efficacious treatment for GAE is currently unavailable, especially when genomic studies on B. mandrillaris are limited. Methods In this study, B. mandrillaris strain KM-20 was isolated from the brain tissue of a GAE patient, and its mitochondrial genome was de novo assembled using high-coverage Nanopore long reads and Illumina short reads. Results and Discussion Phylogenetic and comparative analyses revealed a range of diversification in the mitochondrial genome of KM-20 and nine other B. mandrillaris strains. According to the mitochondrial genome alignment, one of the most variable regions was observed in the ribosomal protein S3 (rps3), which was caused by an array of novel protein tandem repeats. The repeating units in the rps3 protein tandem region present significant copy number variations (CNVs) among B. mandrillaris strains and suggest KM-20 as the most divergent strain for its highly variable sequence and highest copy number in rps3. Moreover, mitochondrial heteroplasmy was observed in strain V039, and two genotypes of rps3 are caused by the CNVs in the tandem repeats. Taken together, the copy number and sequence variations of the protein tandem repeats enable rps3 to be a perfect target for clinical genotyping assay for B. mandrillaris. The mitochondrial genome diversity of B. mandrillaris paves the way to investigate the phylogeny and diversification of pathogenic amoebae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherie Tsz-Yiu Law
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Bioinformatics Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Thirapa Nivesvivat
- Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Qing Xiong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Bioinformatics Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kasem Kulkeaw
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ling Shi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Bioinformatics Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pichet Ruenchit
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Detchvijitr Suwanpakdee
- Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piradee Suwanpakdee
- Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nongnat Tongkrajang
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Patsharaporn T. Sarasombath
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Patsharaporn T. Sarasombath, ;
| | - Stephen Kwok-Wing Tsui
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Bioinformatics Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Stephen Kwok-Wing Tsui,
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Long-term survive of Aliarcobacter butzleri in two models symbiotic interaction with Acanthamoeba castellanii. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:610. [DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03223-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Acanthamoeba and a bacterial endocytobiont isolated from recreational freshwaters. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3693-3699. [PMID: 36149500 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07651-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The quality of many freshwater environments is impacted by human activities, so that many rivers may represent a vehicle for the transmission of health-related microorganisms. This work aimed to isolate and identify genetically free-living amoeba (FLA) of the genus Acanthamoeba from a recreational river in Salta, Argentina, and isolate, if possible, an endocytobiont. Sampling took place at four points (P1-P4) throughout the river in the winter and the summer seasons. Free-living amoebae and Acanthamoeba were recovered from 20-L water concentrated through an ultrafiltration system. Isolation was performed in agar plates, confirmation of Acanthamoeba genus by PCR, and fellow identification and classification based on their sequence analyses. High concentrations of indicator bacteria were found especially in P2, which is intensively used for recreation. Out of a total of 29 FLA isolations, 9 were identified as Acanthamoeba genotype T4 subtype A, the most frequent genotype found in nature and associated with causing human disease. From an axenic culture of Acanthamoeba spp. (KY751412), a bacterial endocytobiont was isolated, and identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The endocytobiont showed resistance and intermediate resistance to a wide range of widely used antibiotics. Results were in concordance with the cosmopolitan behavior of Acanthamoeba, and showed the importance of studying this group of amoebae and related microorganisms in recreational environments.
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Zinc Oxide Nanoconjugates against Brain-Eating Amoebae. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11101281. [DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11101281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillaris are opportunistic protists, responsible for fatal central nervous system infections such as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) with mortality rates higher than 90%. Threatening a rise in cases is the increase in temperature due to global warming. No effective treatment is currently available. Herein, nanotechnology was used to conjugate Zinc oxide with Ampicillin, Ceftrixon, Naringin, Amphotericin B, and Quericitin, and the amoebicidal activity and host cell cytotoxicity of these resulting compounds were investigated. The compounds ZnO-CD-AMPi, ZnO-CD-CFT, ZnO-CD-Nar, ZnO-CD-AMB, and ZnO-CD-QT were found to reduce N. fowleri viability to 35.5%, 39.6%, 52.0%, 50.8%, 35.9%, and 69.9%, respectively, and B. mandrillaris viability to 40.9%, 48.2%, 51.6%, 43.8%, and 62.4%, respectively, when compared with their corresponding controls. Furthermore, the compounds reduced N. fowleri-mediated and B. mandrillaris-mediated host cell death significantly. Additionally, the compounds showed limited cytotoxicity against human cells; cell toxicity was 35.5%, 36.4%, 30.9%, 36.6%, and 35.6%, respectively, for the compounds ZnO-CD-AMPi, ZnO-CD-CFT, ZnO-CD-Nar, ZnO-CD-AMB, and ZnO-CD-QT. Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentrations to inhibit amoeba growth by 50% were determined for N. fowleri and B. mandrillaris. The MIC50 for N. fowleri were determined to be 69.52 µg/mL, 82.05 µg/mL, 88.16 µg/mL, 95.61 µg/mL, and 85.69 µg/mL, respectively; the MIC50 of the compounds for B. mandrillaris were determined to be 113.9 µg/mL, 102.3 µg/mL, 106.9 µg/mL, 146.4 µg/mL, and 129.6 µg/mL, respectively. Translational research to further develop therapies based on these compounds is urgently warranted, given the lack of effective therapies currently available against these devastating infections.
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22
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Fechtali-Moute Z, Loiseau PM, Pomel S. Stimulation of Acanthamoeba castellanii excystment by enzyme treatment and consequences on trophozoite growth. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:982897. [PMID: 36172275 PMCID: PMC9511172 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.982897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii is a widespread Free-Living Amoeba (FLA) that can cause severe ocular or cerebral infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, respectively, besides its capacity to transport diverse pathogens. During their life cycle, FLA can alternate between a vegetative form, called a trophozoite, and a latent and resistant form, called a cyst. This resistant form is characterized by the presence of a cell wall containing two layers, namely the ectocyst and the endocyst, mainly composed of cellulose and proteins. In the present work, we aimed to stimulate Acanthamoeba castellanii excystment by treating their cysts with a cellulolytic enzyme, i.e., cellulase, or two proteolytic enzymes, i.e., collagenase and pepsin. While 11 days were necessary to obtain total excystment in the control at 27°C, only 48 h were sufficient at the same temperature to obtain 100% trophozoites in the presence of 25 U/mL cellulase, 50 U/mL collagenase or 100 U/mL pepsin. Additionally, more than 96% amoebae have excysted after only 24 h with 7.5 U/mL cellulase at 30°C. Nevertheless, no effect of the three enzymes was observed on the excystment of Balamuthia mandrillaris and Vermamoeba vermiformis. Surprisingly, A. castellanii trophozoites excysted in the presence of cellulase displayed a markedly shorter doubling time at 7 h, in comparison to the control at 23 h. Likewise, trophozoites doubled their population in 9 h when both cellulose and cellulase were added to the medium, indicating that Acanthamoeba cyst wall degradation products promote their trophozoite proliferation. The analysis of cysts in epifluorescent microscopy using FITC-lectins and in electron microscopy revealed a disorganized endocyst and a reduction of the intercystic space area after cellulase treatment, implying that these cellular events are preliminary to trophozoite release during excystment. Further studies would be necessary to determine the signaling pathways involved during this amoebal differentiation process to identify new therapeutic targets for the development of anti-acanthamoebal drugs.
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Alvarez P, Torres-Cabala C, Gotuzzo E, Bravo F. Cutaneous balamuthiasis: A clinicopathological study. JAAD Int 2022; 6:51-58. [PMID: 35059659 PMCID: PMC8760460 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdin.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Alvarez
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Correspondence to: Patricia Alvarez, MD, Patologia cutánea, Av. Angamos Oeste 896, Miraflores Lima, Peru.
| | - Carlos Torres-Cabala
- Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Eduardo Gotuzzo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Tropicales y Dermatológicas, Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Francisco Bravo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Departamento de Patología, Hospital Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
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Various brain-eating amoebae: the protozoa, the pathogenesis, and the disease. Front Med 2021; 15:842-866. [PMID: 34825341 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-021-0865-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Among various genera of free-living amoebae prevalent in nature, some members are identified as causative agents of human encephalitis, in which Naegleria fowleri followed by Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris have been successively discovered. As the three dominant genera responsible for infections, Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia work as opportunistic pathogens of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, whereas Naegleria induces primary amoebic meningoencephalitis mostly in healthy children and young adults as a more violent and deadly disease. Due to the lack of typical symptoms and laboratory findings, all these amoebic encephalitic diseases are difficult to diagnose. Considering that subsequent therapies are also affected, all these brain infections cause significant mortality worldwide, with more than 90% of the cases being fatal. Along with global warming and population explosion, expanding areas of human and amoebae activity in some regions lead to increased contact, resulting in more serious infections and drawing increased public attention. In this review, we summarize the present information of these pathogenic free-living amoebae, including their phylogeny, classification, biology, and ecology. The mechanisms of pathogenesis, immunology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, epidemiology, diagnosis, and therapies are also discussed.
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Bhosale NK, Parija SC. Balamuthia mandrillaris: An opportunistic, free-living ameba - An updated review. Trop Parasitol 2021; 11:78-88. [PMID: 34765527 PMCID: PMC8579774 DOI: 10.4103/tp.tp_36_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Balamuthia mandrillaris is an opportunistic, free-living ameba that is pathogenic to humans. It has a worldwide distribution but is mainly detected in warmer regions. Balamuthia infections are rare but have been reported in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals of all ages. B. mandrillaris can enter through wounds on the skin or the nose and cause cutaneous lesions and the usually fatal Balamuthia amebic encephalitis (BAE). Infection usually spreads from the lungs or through nerve fibers, and attacks the central nervous system, forming granulomatous lesions and necrosis in the brain. Balamuthia infection is usually chronic, and patients initially present with nonspecific symptoms, including headache, nausea, myalgia, and low-grade fever. As the disease progresses, the patient becomes paralyzed and comatose, often leading to death. Lack of knowledge of predisposing factors, specific treatment, and standardized detection tools have resulted in a nearly cent percent fatality rate. Although only about 200 cases have been reported worldwide since its characterization in the 1990s, the number of reported cases has increased over the years. BAE is an emerging disease and a major health concern. Few patients have survived Balamuthia infections with antimicrobial treatment that has largely been empirical. Early diagnosis is the key and requires familiarity with the disease and a high degree of suspicion on the part of the diagnostician. There are currently no specific treatment and prevention recommendations. This review highlights our current understanding of B. mandrillaris in terms of its pathogenicity, genomics, and novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches against BAE infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namrata K Bhosale
- Department of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India
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Kasparova EA, Marchenko NR, Surnina ZV, Mitichkina TS. [Confocal microscopy in the diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis]. Vestn Oftalmol 2021; 137:201-208. [PMID: 34669328 DOI: 10.17116/oftalma2021137052201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a dangerous disease of the cornea, its prevalence has increased significantly due to widespread usage of contact lenses. The similarity of the clinical manifestations of AK to other infectious keratitis (especially herpetic keratitis) requires introduction of a rapid diagnosis method into clinical practice. PURPOSE To evaluate the capabilities of corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) in the diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS We examined 33 patients (35 eyes) with suspected acanthamoeba keratitis using light and laser confocal microscopy of the cornea (ConfoScan and HRT devices, respectively). RESULTS CCM was technically feasible in 23 of 35 cases (65.7%). Acanthamoeba cysts were detected in 16 cases (69.6%); trophozoites were visualized in 17.4% of cases; signs of keratoneuritis were detected in 12 eyes (52.2%); in 7 cases (30.4%), hyporeflective honeycomb-like cavities were observed in the stroma; deep stromal striae were observed in 9 cases (39.1%); activated keratocytes were detected in 11 patients (47.8%), and Langerhans cells were detected in 19 cases (82.6%). CONCLUSIONS The main diagnostic value of confocal microscopy is the detection of direct markers of AK - cysts and trophozoites of Acanthamoeba. Both light and laser CCM techniques are suitable for the diagnosis of AK, but the resolution of laser confocal microscopy is higher. The non-invasive nature of this method and the possibility of multiple subsequent examinations make it possible to verify the diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis and monitor the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Z V Surnina
- Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow, Russia
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Chaúque BJM, Rott MB. Solar disinfection (SODIS) technologies as alternative for large-scale public drinking water supply: Advances and challenges. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 281:130754. [PMID: 34029967 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal waterborne diseases, continue to stand out among the most lethal diseases in developing countries, because of consuming contaminated water taken from unsafe sources. Advances made in recent decades in methods of solar water disinfection (SODIS) have shown that SODIS is an effective and inexpensive method of providing drinking water, capable of substantially reducing the prevalence and mortality of waterborne diseases. The increased impact of SODIS in communities lacking drinking water services depends on a successful upgrade from conventional SODIS (based on PET bottle reactors) in high flow continuous flow systems for solar water disinfection (CFSSWD). This review aimed to identify the main limitations of conventional SODIS that hinder its application as a large-scale drinking water supply strategy, and to propose ways to overcome these limitations (without making it economically inaccessible) based on the current frontier of advances technological. It was found that the successful development of the CFSSWD depends on overcoming the current limitations of conventional SODIS and the development of systems whose configurations allow combining the properties of solar pasteurization (SOPAS) and SODIS. Different improvements need to be made to the main components of the CFSSWD, such as increasing the performance of solar radiation collectors, photo and thermal reactors and heat exchangers. The integration of disinfection technologies based on photocatalytic and photothermal nanomaterials also needs to be achieved. The performance evaluation of the CFSSWD should be made considering resistant microorganisms, such as the environmental resistance structures of bacteria or protozoa (spores or (oo)cysts) as targets of disinfection approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beni Jequicene Mussengue Chaúque
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil; Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Universidade Rovuma, Niassa Branch, Mozambique.
| | - Marilise Brittes Rott
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
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Joseph SJ, Park S, Kelley A, Roy S, Cope JR, Ali IKM. Comparative Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Naegleria fowleri Clinical and Environmental Isolates. mSphere 2021; 6:e0063721. [PMID: 34378985 PMCID: PMC8386437 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00637-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Out of over 40 species of Naegleria, which are free-living thermophilic amebae found in freshwater and soil worldwide, only Naegleria fowleri infects humans, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a typically fatal brain disease. To understand the population structure of Naegleria species and the genetic relationships between N. fowleri isolates and to detect pathogenic factors, we characterized 52 novel clinical and environmental N. fowleri genomes and a single Naegleria lovaniensis strain, along with transcriptomic data for a subset of 37 N. fowleri isolates. Whole-genome analysis of 56 isolates from three Naegleria species (N. fowleri, N. lovaniensis, and Naegleria gruberi) identified several genes unique to N. fowleri that have previously been linked to the pathogenicity of N. fowleri, while other unique genes could be associated with novel pathogenicity factors in this highly fatal pathogen. Population structure analysis estimated the presence of 10 populations within the three Naegleria species, of which 7 populations were within N. fowleri. The whole-nuclear-genome (WNG) phylogenetic analysis showed an overall geographical clustering of N. fowleri isolates, with few exceptions, and provided higher resolution in identifying potential clusters of isolates beyond that of the traditional locus typing. There were only 34 genes that showed significant differences in gene expression between the clinical and environmental isolates. Genomic data generated in this study can be used for developing rapid molecular assays and to conduct future population-based global genomic analysis and will also be a valuable addition to genomic reference databases, where shotgun metagenomics data from routine water samples could be searched for the presence of N. fowleri strains. IMPORTANCE N. fowleri, the only known Naegleria species to infect humans, causes fatal brain disease. PAM cases from 1965 to 2016 showed <20 cases per year globally. Out of approximately 150 cases in North America since 1962, only four PAM survivors are known, yielding a >97% case fatality rate, which is critically high. Although the pathogenesis of N. fowleri has been studied for the last 50 years, pathogenetic factors that lead to human infection and breaching the blood-brain barrier remain unknown. In addition, little is known regarding the genomic diversity both within N. fowleri isolates and among Naegleria species. In this study, we generated novel genome sequences and performed comparative genomic and transcriptomic analysis of a set of 52 N. fowleri draft genome sequences from clinical and environmental isolates derived from all over the world in the last 53 years, which will help shape future genome-wide studies and develop sensitive assays for routine surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep J. Joseph
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Subin Park
- Eagle Medical Services, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Shantanu Roy
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Cope
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ibne Karim M. Ali
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Single cell cloning of free-living amoebae with isolated square agar. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3331-3333. [PMID: 34345963 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07275-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
An alternative amoeba cloning technique is described. The amoebic cells were scraped from the agar and inoculated in a new agar medium separated in isolated squares, preventing a cell from invading the space of another cell, increasing the reliability of cloning, and providing an efficient quality control of technique.
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Fabros MRL, Diesta XRS, Oronan JA, Verdejo KS, Garcia JASM, Sophia Romey M, Milanez GDJ. Current report on the prevalence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in natural hot springs: a systematic review. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2021; 19:563-574. [PMID: 34371494 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2021.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) in natural hot springs is considered a public health concern. FLAs are known to cause serious health outcomes to a wide spectrum of mammalian hosts. The present study aimed to provide the distribution of isolated cases of FLAs in hot springs through a systematic review process of available published articles online. Relevant studies are published between January 2010 and January 2020 involving the isolation of Naegleria spp., Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia spp., Sappinia spp., and Vermamoeba spp. in natural hot springs in the United States, South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Articles were identified through a search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Out of 94 articles screened, a total of 20 articles are included in the study with consideration of established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The most common FLAs isolated in hot springs are Acanthamoeba spp. (134; 48.5%) and Naegleria spp. (127; 46.0%). Other FLAs isolated in hot springs include Balamuthia spp. (2; 0.7%) and Vermamoeba spp. (13; 4.7%). FLA in hot springs used for recreational and medical purposes is a potential source of infection. It is recommended that strict surveillance and maintenance of hot springs be implemented to prevent potential future infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John Anthony Oronan
- Department of Medical Technology, Far Eastern University, Manila 1015, Philippines E-mail:
| | - Kim Sofia Verdejo
- Department of Medical Technology, Far Eastern University, Manila 1015, Philippines E-mail:
| | | | - Ma Sophia Romey
- Department of Medical Technology, Far Eastern University, Manila 1015, Philippines E-mail:
| | - Giovanni De Jesus Milanez
- Department of Medical Technology, Far Eastern University, Manila 1015, Philippines E-mail: ; Division III (Medical Sciences), National Research Council of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
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31
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Ledbetter EC, Kim SG, Schaefer DM, Liotta JL, Bowman DD, Lejeune M. Detection of free-living amoebae in domestic cats with and without naturally-acquired keratitis. Vet J 2021; 274:105712. [PMID: 34182073 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2021.105712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenic free-living amoebae, most notably Acanthamoeba spp., are important pathogens of the human cornea. The importance of infection with free-living amoebae in cats with keratitis is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of amoeba detection in corneas of cats with naturally-acquired keratitis and in the ocular surface microflora of cats without ocular disease. Clinical ophthalmic and in vivo corneal confocal microscopic examinations were performed on 60 cats with keratitis. Corneal scrapings were analyzed by amoeba culture; cytological evaluation; and Acanthamoeba, Hartmannella, and Vahlkampfia PCR assays. Following ophthalmic examination, conjunctival specimens collected from 60 cats without clinically apparent ocular disease were analyzed similarly. In one cat with ulcerative keratitis, amoeba cysts and trophozoites were detected by in vivo corneal confocal microscopy; an Acanthamoeba sp. was isolated from corneal specimens and detected by Acanthamoeba PCR assay; and suppurative corneal inflammation was present cytologically. An Acanthamoeba sp. was isolated from conjunctival specimens from one cat without clinically apparent ocular disease, but with suppurative inflammation demonstrated cytologically. Both Acanthamoeba isolates belonged to the T4 genotype. Naegleria-like amoebae were isolated in samples from two cats with keratitis and seven cats without clinical ocular disease, but amoebae were not detected by the other assays in these samples. Amoeba detection by culture was significantly (P = 0.01) associated with cytologically diagnosed corneoconjunctival inflammation. This study identified naturally-acquired Acanthamoeba keratitis in cats. Detection of Naegleria-like amoebae in samples from cats with and without keratitis is of uncertain pathological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- E C Ledbetter
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - S G Kim
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - D M Schaefer
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - J L Liotta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - D D Bowman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - M Lejeune
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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32
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Ledbetter EC, McDonough SP, Dong L, Liotta JL, Bowman DD, Kim SG. Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis in a cat. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021; 257:1280-1287. [PMID: 33269959 DOI: 10.2460/javma.257.12.1280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION A 12-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat with chronic anterior uveitis and secondary glaucoma of the right eye was examined for persistent blepharospasm 2 weeks after corneal debridement and grid keratotomy for nonhealing superficial ulcerative keratitis. CLINICAL FINDINGS Examination of the right eye revealed a central superficial corneal ulcer associated with corneal epithelial and subepithelial infiltrates and mild aqueous flare. Structures consistent with amoeboid cysts and trophozoites were detected in the cornea by in vivo confocal microscopy. Suppurative keratitis was identified cytologically. An Acanthamoeba spp was isolated through culture and identified by a PCR assay of corneal specimens. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Symptomatic and antiamoebic (polyhexamethylene biguanide 0.02% ophthalmic solution) treatments were instituted. Over the following 6 weeks, the cat lost vision in the affected eye and lesions progressed to nonulcerative stromal keratitis associated with a dense paracentral corneal stroma ring infiltrate and anterior lens luxation. The globe was enucleated, and lymphoplasmacytic sclerokeratitis, anterior uveitis, and retinal detachment were noted. Acanthamoeba organisms were detected within the corneal stroma and anterior sclera with histologic and immunohistochemical stains. The amoebae were classified to the Acanthamoeba T4 genotype by DNA sequencing. The cat had no medical problems attributed to Acanthamoeba infection over 36 months after enucleation, until the cat was lost to follow-up. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Naturally acquired Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis is described in a cat for the first time. Acanthamoeba infection should be considered for cats with superficial corneal disease refractory to appropriate treatments and especially occurring after ocular trauma, including keratotomy.
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Khosravinia N, Fata A, Moghaddas E, Hosseini Farash BR, Sedaghat MR, Eslampour AR, Jarahi L. Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis in Mashhad, Northeastern Iran: A Gene-Based PCR Assay. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2021; 16:111-121. [PMID: 33786053 PMCID: PMC7988675 DOI: 10.18502/ijpa.v16i1.5530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background: The genus Acanthamoeba is a free-living opportunistic protozoan parasite, which widely distributed in soil and fresh water. Acanthamoeba keratitis, which causes a sight-threating infection of the cornea, is going to rise in Iran and worldwide. The aim of this study was to compare direct microscopy, culture and PCR for detection of Acanthamoeba spp. in clinical samples and to determine the genotypes of Acanthamoeba spp. by sequencing 18SrRNA gene. Methods: Among patients clinically suspected to AK referred to a tertiary ophthalmology center at Mashhad, northeastern Iran. During 2017-18, twenty corneal scrapes specimens obtained. The samples were divided into three parts, subjected to direct microscopic examination, culture onto non-nutrient agar and PCR technique. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and likelihood ratio were evaluated. Results: Among 20 persons clinically suspected to amoebic keratitis, 13(69.2%) patients definitely diagnosed as Acanthamoeba keratitis. Wearing contact lens, eye trauma due to foreign particle and swimming in fresh water were the main predisposing factors. Most of patients suffered from pain and photophobia. Corneal ring infiltration and epithelial defect were common clinical sings. Direct examination had the lowest sensitivity and sensitivity of both Nelson-PCR and JDP-PCR methods were equal and highest. In addition, the results of sequencing identified that all strains belonged to T4 genotype. Conclusion: Amoebic keratitis is a sporadic parasitic keratitis, which is mainly seen in contact lens user in Mashhad. PCR based on 18S ribosomal DNA with JDP primers is a reliable and highly sensitive method for diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis in clinically suspected cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazgol Khosravinia
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Abdolmajid Fata
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Elham Moghaddas
- Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Bibi Razieh Hosseini Farash
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Ali Raza Eslampour
- Khatam-al-Anbia Haspital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Lida Jarahi
- Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Rayamajhee B, Subedi D, Peguda HK, Willcox MD, Henriquez FL, Carnt N. A Systematic Review of Intracellular Microorganisms within Acanthamoeba to Understand Potential Impact for Infection. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020225. [PMID: 33670718 PMCID: PMC7922382 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba, an opportunistic pathogen is known to cause an infection of the cornea, central nervous system, and skin. Acanthamoeba feeds different microorganisms, including potentially pathogenic prokaryotes; some of microbes have developed ways of surviving intracellularly and this may mean that Acanthamoeba acts as incubator of important pathogens. A systematic review of the literature was performed in order to capture a comprehensive picture of the variety of microbial species identified within Acanthamoeba following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Forty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, 26 studies (60.5%) examined environmental samples, eight (18.6%) studies examined clinical specimens, and another nine (20.9%) studies analysed both types of samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by gene sequencing was the most common technique used to identify the intracellular microorganisms. Important pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli, Mycobacterium spp. and P. aeruginosa, were observed in clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba, whereas Legionella, adenovirus, mimivirus, and unidentified bacteria (Candidatus) were often identified in environmental Acanthamoeba. Increasing resistance of Acanthamoeba associated intracellular pathogens to antimicrobials is an increased risk to public health. Molecular-based future studies are needed in order to assess the microbiome residing in Acanthamoeba, as a research on the hypotheses that intracellular microbes can affect the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Rayamajhee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
- Department of Infection and Immunology, Kathmandu Research Institute for Biological Sciences (KRIBS), Lalitpur 44700, Nepal
- Correspondence: or
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
| | - Hari Kumar Peguda
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
| | - Mark Duncan Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
| | - Fiona L. Henriquez
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Paisley PA1 2BE, UK;
| | - Nicole Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
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Abstract
Amoebae are protists that have complicated relationships with bacteria, covering the whole spectrum of symbiosis. Amoeba-bacterium interactions contribute to the study of predation, symbiosis, pathogenesis, and human health. Given the complexity of their relationships, it is necessary to understand the ecology and evolution of their interactions. In this paper, we provide an updated review of the current understanding of amoeba-bacterium interactions. We start by discussing the diversity of amoebae and their bacterial partners. We also define three types of ecological interactions between amoebae and bacteria and discuss their different outcomes. Finally, we focus on the implications of amoeba-bacterium interactions on human health, horizontal gene transfer, drinking water safety, and the evolution of symbiosis. In conclusion, amoeba-bacterium interactions are excellent model systems to investigate a wide range of scientific questions. Future studies should utilize advanced techniques to address research gaps, such as detecting hidden diversity, lack of amoeba genomes, and the impacts of amoeba predation on the microbiome.
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36
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Stahl LM, Olson JB. Environmental abiotic and biotic factors affecting the distribution and abundance of Naegleria fowleri. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 97:6006869. [PMID: 33242082 PMCID: PMC8068756 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living protozoan that resides in soil and freshwater. Human intranasal amoebae exposure through water or potentially dust particles can culminate in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, which generally causes death. While many questions remain regarding pathogenesis, the microbial ecology of N. fowleri is even less understood. This review outlines current knowledge of the environmental abiotic and biotic factors that affect the distribution and abundance of N. fowleri. Although the impacts of some abiotic factors remain poorly investigated or inconclusive, N. fowleri appears to have a wide pH range, low salinity tolerance and thermophilic preference. From what is known about biotic factors, the amoebae preferentially feed upon bacteria and are preyed upon by other free-living amoebae. Additional laboratory and environmental studies are needed to fill in knowledge gaps, which are crucial for surveillance and management of N. fowleri in freshwaters. As surface water temperatures increase with climate change, it is likely that this amoeba will pose a greater threat to human health, suggesting that identifying its abiotic and biotic preferences is critical to mitigating this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigha M Stahl
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Julie B Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
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37
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Mitsuwan W, Sangkanu S, Romyasamit C, Kaewjai C, Jimoh TO, de Lourdes Pereira M, Siyadatpanah A, Kayesth S, Nawaz M, Rahmatullah M, Butler MS, Wilairatana P, Wiart C, Nissapatorn V. Curcuma longa rhizome extract and Curcumin reduce the adhesion of Acanthamoeba triangularis trophozoites and cysts in polystyrene plastic surface and contact lens. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2020; 14:218-229. [PMID: 33238231 PMCID: PMC7691445 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Curcuma longa and Curcumin have been documented to have a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, including anti-Acanthamoeba activity. Hence, this study sought to explore the anti-adhesion activity of C. longa extract and Curcumin against Acanthamoeba triangularis trophozoites and cysts in plastic and contact lenses. Our results showed that C. longa extract and Curcumin significantly inhibited the adhesion of A. triangularis trophozoites and cysts to the plastic surface, as investigated by the crystal violet assay (P < 0.05). Also, an 80-90% decrease in adhesion of trophozoites and cysts to the plastic surface was detected following the treatment with C. longa extract and Curcumin at 1/2 × MIC, compared to the control. In the contact lens model, approximately 1 log cells/mL of the trophozoites and cysts was reduced when the cells were treated with Curcumin, when compared to the control. Pre-treatment of the plastic surface with Curcumin at 1/2-MIC reduced 60% and 90% of the adhesion of trophozoites and cysts, respectively. The reduction in 1 Log cells/mL of the adhesion of A. triangularis trophozoites was observed when lenses were pre-treated with both the extract and Curcumin. Base on the results obtained from this study, A. triangularis trophozoites treated with C. longa extract and Curcumin have lost strong acanthopodia, thorn-like projection pseudopodia observed by scanning electron microscope. This study also revealed the therapeutic potentials of C. longa extract and Curcumin, as such, have promising anti-adhesive potential that can be used in the management/prevention of A. triangularis adhesion to contact lenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Watcharapong Mitsuwan
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team), World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), and Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand; Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Suthinee Sangkanu
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team), World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), and Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Chonticha Romyasamit
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team), World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), and Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Chalermpon Kaewjai
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Rangsit University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Tajudeen O Jimoh
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Biochemistry, Habib Medical School, Islamic University in Uganda, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Maria de Lourdes Pereira
- CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials & Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Abolghasem Siyadatpanah
- Ferdows School of Paramedical and Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Sunil Kayesth
- Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Muhammad Nawaz
- Department of Nano-Medicine Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Rahmatullah
- Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mark S Butler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Polrat Wilairatana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Christophe Wiart
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Veeranoot Nissapatorn
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team), World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), and Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
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38
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Hubert F, Rodier MH, Minoza A, Portet-Sulla V, Cateau E, Brunet K. Free-living amoebae promote Candida auris survival and proliferation in water. Lett Appl Microbiol 2020; 72:82-89. [PMID: 32978979 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging species responsible for life-threatening infections. Its ability to be resistant to most systemic antifungal classes and its capacity to persist in a hospital environment have led to health concerns. Currently, data about environmental reservoirs are limited but remain essential in control of C. auris spread. The aim of our study was to explore the interactions between C. auris and two free-living amoeba (FLA) species, Vermamoeba vermiformis and Acanthamoeba castellanii, potentially found in the same water environment. Candida auris was incubated with FLA trophozoites or their culture supernatants. The number of FLA and yeasts was determined at different times and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed. Supernatants of FLAs promoted yeast survival and proliferation. Internalization of viable C. auris within both FLA species was also evidenced by TEM. A water environmental reservoir of C. auris can therefore be considered through FLAs and contamination of the hospital water networks would consequently be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Hubert
- Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département des agents infectieux, Service de Mycologie-Parasitologie, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - M-H Rodier
- Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département des agents infectieux, Service de Mycologie-Parasitologie, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,UMR CNRS 7267, Poitiers, France
| | - A Minoza
- Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département des agents infectieux, Service de Mycologie-Parasitologie, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - V Portet-Sulla
- Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département des agents infectieux, Service de Mycologie-Parasitologie, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - E Cateau
- Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département des agents infectieux, Service de Mycologie-Parasitologie, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,UMR CNRS 7267, Poitiers, France
| | - K Brunet
- Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département des agents infectieux, Service de Mycologie-Parasitologie, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,INSERM U1070, Poitiers, France
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39
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Morphological Description of the Early Events during the Invasion of Acanthamoeba castellanii Trophozoites in a Murine Model of Skin Irradiated under UV-B Light. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9100794. [PMID: 32992452 PMCID: PMC7600863 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9100794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin infections have been associated with Acanthamoeba, nevertheless the events during skin invasion and UV-B light effects on it are unknown. The early morphological events of Acanthamoeba castellanii skin invasion are shown in SKH-1 mice that were chronically UV-B light irradiated. Mice that developed skin lesions (group 1) were topical and intradermally inoculated with A. castellanii trophozoites and sacrificed 48 h or 18 days later. Mice that showed no skin lesions (group 2) were intradermally inoculated and sacrificed 24, 48 or 72 h later. Mice ventral areas were considered controls with and without trophozoites intradermally inoculated. Skin samples were processed by histological and immunohistochemistry techniques. In group 1, trophozoites were immunolocalized in dermal areas, hair cysts, sebaceous glands, and blood vessels, and collagen degradation was observed. One of these mice shown trophozoites in the spleen, liver, and brain. In group 2, few trophozoites nearby collagenolytic activity zones were observed. In control samples, nor histological damage and no trophozoites were observed. Adherence and collagenolytic activity by A. castellanii were corroborated in vitro. We can infer that UV-B light irradiated skin could favor A. castellanii invasiveness causing damage in sites as far away as the brain, confirming the invasive capacity and pathogenic potential of these amphizoic amoebae.
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40
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Chung SJ, Strand AM, Dibernardo LR, Mitchell E, Malinzak M, Maziarz EK, Wolfe CR. Confusion, Headache, and Constitutional Symptoms in a Heart Transplant Recipient. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 68:1968-1973. [PMID: 31098617 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shimin J Chung
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Andrew M Strand
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Louis R Dibernardo
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Erica Mitchell
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology Division), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Michael Malinzak
- Duke Radiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Eileen K Maziarz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Cameron R Wolfe
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina
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41
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Baig AM, Khaleeq A. First Reports of Effects of Insulin, Human-like Insulin Receptors and Adapter Proteins in Acanthamoeba castellanii. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11759. [PMID: 32678116 PMCID: PMC7366918 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63435-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The insulin receptor (IR) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1-R) play key roles in growth, regulation of nutrient metabolism and carbohydrate homeostasis. Insulin-like molecules in prokaryotes and other early life have been reported. However, an account of metabolic effects of insulin, transcriptomic evidence of expression of glucose transporting channels (GLUT) and homology modelling of IR and IGF1-R like proteins in unicellular life-forms have yet to be established. Acanthamoeba spp. has existed for about 2 billion years and is one of the earliest mitochondriate unicellular eukaryotic cells on Earth. Despite Acanthamoeba spp. being grown in a medium called peptone-yeast-glucose (PYG) for over 50 years, the mechanism and regulation of glucose uptake by IR or IGF1-R molecules in this microbe has not yet been reported. Several methods were utilized to validate the effects of insulin on trophozoites of A. castellanii, including: growth assays with insulin, estimation of glucose and potassium (K+) entry into the cell, and histology showing anabolic effects on proteins. Bioinformatic computational tools and homology modeling demonstrated the involvement of IR like proteins, GLUT, and adapter proteins in mediating the IR cascade. Growth assays showed proliferative effects in a dose range of 2.98-5.97 µmol/mL of insulin. After insulin exposure, A. castellanii trophozoites displayed enhanced Periodic acid-Sciff (PAS) staining. Amino acid sequence similarities and homology modelling revealed ACA1_163470 in Acanthamoeba spp. to be a homolog of human-IR. Acanthamoeba protein ACA1_336150 shares similarities with IGF1-R. Additionally, some proteins like ACA1_060920 have attributes of GLUT like channels on homology modelling and show similarity with human GLUT. Knowledge of IR and insulin effects in Acanthamoeba spp. contributes to its biology and advances current understanding behind the evolution of IR and IGF1-R signalling cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Mannan Baig
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
| | - Areeba Khaleeq
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Pazoki H, Niyyati M, Javanmard E, Lasjerdi Z, Spotin A, Mirjalali H, Karanis P. Isolation of N. philippinensis and N. americana strains from irrigation waters of farmland soils in Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:24568-24573. [PMID: 32342421 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08992-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) including Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, and Balamuthia mandrillaris are among the many waterborne parasites. There is not much known about the possible FLA contamination of the irrigation resources watering crops and agricultural lands in this country. Forty-five water samples were collected from water canals used for irrigation of farmlands and tested for the presence of pathogenic FLA using morphological and molecular-based methodology. The ITS region of Naegleria species was sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was generated to confirm the genetic associations and taxonomic status of the identified Naegleria spp. A total of seven (15.5%) samples were positive for FLA. Molecular analyses identified two strains as N. philippinensis (isolates: PW1 and PW2) isolated from irrigation treated water. One strain showed high homology with N. americana (isolate: PW3). To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first study to isolate the two strains of N. philippinensis and N. americana from agricultural waters in Iran. The presence of the FLA in irrigation waters should be considered a potential health threat for exposed farmers and other people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Pazoki
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Niyyati
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ehsan Javanmard
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zohreh Lasjerdi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Adel Spotin
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirjalali
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Panagiotis Karanis
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Nicosia University Medical School, CY-2408, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Panda A, Mirdha BR, Rastogi N, Kasuhik S. Understanding the true burden of "Naegleria fowleri" (Vahlkampfiidae) in patients from Northern states of India: Source tracking and significance. Eur J Protistol 2020; 76:125726. [PMID: 32682925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2020.125726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The present study is an attempt to investigate the presence of Naegleria fowleri in Indian population. A total of 307 patients were enrolled and water samples were collected from both residential and surrounding areas of patients found positive for N. fowleri. The different species of Naegleria from both clinical and water samples were identified taxonomically. Recommended microbiological conventional techniques were used to identify different Naegleria stages and other free-living amoebae from the samples. PCR assays, using both genus and species specific primers were also optimized. None of the samples were positive by conventional microbiological examinations. However, PCR assays detected only three samples positive for N. fowleri. A total of 10 water bodies (ponds), that were used by Naegleria positive patients were examined. The pH and temperature of the water samples collected from water bodies ranged between 5.6-7.2 and 25-32 °C respectively. Among all the 10 water samples tested, four samples were positive for genus Naegleria by PCR assay, of which only two samples, showed positive amplification for N. fowleri. The sequence analysis of N. fowleri strain belonged to genotype II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Panda
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Bijay Ranjan Mirdha
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
| | - Neha Rastogi
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Samander Kasuhik
- Centre for Biotechnology, Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
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The Antifungal Drug Isavuconazole Is both Amebicidal and Cysticidal against Acanthamoeba castellanii. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.02223-19. [PMID: 32094126 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02223-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatments for Acanthamoeba keratitis rely on a combination of chlorhexidine gluconate, propamidine isethionate, and polyhexamethylene biguanide. These disinfectants are nonspecific and inherently toxic, which limits their effectiveness. Furthermore, in 10% of cases, recurrent infection ensues due to the difficulty in killing both trophozoites and double-walled cysts. Therefore, development of efficient, safe, and target-specific drugs which are capable of preventing recurrent Acanthamoeba infection is a critical unmet need for averting blindness. Since both trophozoites and cysts contain specific sets of membrane sterols, we hypothesized that antifungal drugs targeting sterol 14-demethylase (CYP51), known as conazoles, would have deleterious effects on A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts. To test this hypothesis, we first performed a systematic screen of the FDA-approved conazoles against A. castellanii trophozoites using a bioluminescence-based viability assay adapted and optimized for Acanthamoeba The most potent drugs were then evaluated against cysts. Isavuconazole and posaconazole demonstrated low nanomolar potency against trophozoites of three clinical strains of A. castellanii Furthermore, isavuconazole killed trophozoites within 24 h and suppressed excystment of preformed Acanthamoeba cysts into trophozoites. The rapid action of isavuconazole was also evident from the morphological changes at nanomolar drug concentrations causing rounding of trophozoites within 24 h of exposure. Given that isavuconazole has an excellent safety profile, is well tolerated in humans, and blocks A. castellanii excystation, this opens an opportunity for the cost-effective repurposing of isavuconazole for the treatment of primary and recurring Acanthamoeba keratitis.
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Milanez G, Masangkay F, Hapan F, Bencito T, Lopez M, Soriano J, Ascaño A, Lizarondo L, Santiago J, Somsak V, Kotepui M, Tsiami A, Tangpong J, Karanis P. Detection of Acanthamoeba spp. in two major water reservoirs in the Philippines. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2020; 18:118-126. [PMID: 32300086 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2020.190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Water reservoirs are important manmade structures providing water security to deliver clean and safe water for drinking and other purposes to the community. Eighty water samples were collected from Magat and Ipo water reservoirs using purposive sampling between November 2018 and January 2019. Water samples were collected in sterile containers for testing. The samples were cultured in non-nutrient agar and lawned with Escherichia coli and incubated at 33 °C. Twelve out of the 80 (15%) water samples were positive for amoebic growth. Light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed double-walled cystic stages and were initially identified as Acanthamoeba spp. based on morphological characteristic in reference to Page's established criteria. Their extracted DNAs were used in polymerase chain reaction using JDP1 and JDP2 primers and confirmed the presence of Acanthamoeba DNA in agarose gel electrophoresis. Aligned sequences from PCR products were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers MK886460, MK909919, MK905437, MK910997, MK911021 and MK886514. The presence of potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba spp. in water reservoirs is considered a potential risk for public health, requiring appropriate processing of water in treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Milanez
- Biomedical Science Program, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 8016, Thailand E-mail: ; Department of Medical Technology, Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines
| | - Frederick Masangkay
- Biomedical Science Program, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 8016, Thailand E-mail: ; Department of Medical Technology, Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines
| | - Frieda Hapan
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Thea Bencito
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Marcus Lopez
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Jeffrey Soriano
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Abdee Ascaño
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Louella Lizarondo
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Joseph Santiago
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Voravuth Somsak
- Biomedical Science Program, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 8016, Thailand E-mail:
| | - Manas Kotepui
- Biomedical Science Program, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 8016, Thailand E-mail:
| | - Amalia Tsiami
- London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism, University of West London, London, UK
| | - Jitbanjong Tangpong
- Biomedical Science Program, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 8016, Thailand E-mail:
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Carnt NA, Subedi D, Lim AW, Lee R, Mistry P, Badenoch PR, Kilvington S, Dutta D. Prevalence and seasonal variation of Acanthamoeba in domestic tap water in greater Sydney, Australia. Clin Exp Optom 2020; 103:782-786. [PMID: 32227362 DOI: 10.1111/cxo.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study examined the prevalence of free-living Acanthamoeba in domestic tap water in the greater Sydney region, Australia, and determined any seasonal variation in prevalence. METHODS Fifty-four participants were included in this study following approval from an institutional human research ethics committee. Each participant self-collected two samples (one in summer and another in winter) from the surface of the drain of the bathroom sink using an instructional kit. The samples were cultured by inoculating onto a non-nutrient agar plate seeded with Escherichia coli and incubation at 32°C for two weeks. The plates were microscopically examined for the presence of free-living amoeba. DNA was isolated from 20 samples and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was performed for amplification of the partial sequence of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene. The PCR amplified products were sequenced using Sanger sequencing and genotyping was performed based on the variation in nucleotide sequences. RESULTS A total of 97 samples were collected over the two collection periods, with 28.6 per cent of samples morphologically classified as Acanthamoeba. The summer period yielded 16 of 54 (29.6 per cent) samples classified as Acanthamoeba, while the winter period yielded 12 of 43 (27.9 per cent) samples classified as Acanthamoeba. There was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.85) between the prevalence of free-living Acanthamoeba in summer compared to winter. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 15 of 20 (75 per cent) isolates belonged to genotype T4, the most frequent genotype isolated in Acanthamoeba keratitis. CONCLUSION The prevalence of free-living Acanthamoeba characterised morphologically in domestic tap water of the greater Sydney region was higher than expected, especially considering the low incidence of Acanthamoeba keratitis in Australia. However, this study did not find variation between seasons. As the T4 genotype was most common, Sydney-based practitioners must always consider Acanthamoeba as a possible causative organism in cases of microbial keratitis, regardless of the season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ann W Lim
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebecca Lee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Priyal Mistry
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul R Badenoch
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia.,College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Simon Kilvington
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Debarun Dutta
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Optometry and Vision Science, Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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Brunet K, Eestermans R, Rodier MH, Cateau E. In vitro activity of isavuconazole against three species of Acanthamoeba. J Fr Ophtalmol 2020; 43:330-333. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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First identification of Naegleria species and Vahlkampfia ciguana in Nile water, Cairo, Egypt: Seasonal morphology and phylogenetic analysis. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2020; 53:259-265. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Carnt NA, Subedi D, Connor S, Kilvington S. The relationship between environmental sources and the susceptibility of Acanthamoeba keratitis in the United Kingdom. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229681. [PMID: 32160218 PMCID: PMC7065798 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) patients have higher rates of Acanthamoeba and free-living amoeba (FLA) colonising domestic sinks than control contact lens (CL) wearers, and whether these isolates are genetically similar to the corneal isolates from their CL associated AK. METHODS 129 AK patients from Moorefield Eye Hospital, London and 64 control CL wearers from the Institute of Optometry were included in this study. The participants self-collected home kitchen and bathroom samples from tap-spouts, overflows and drains using an instructional kit. The samples were cultured by inoculating onto a non-nutrient agar plate seeded with Escherichia coli, incubated at 32°C and examined for amoebae by microscopy for up to 2 weeks. Partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase genes (coxA) of Acanthamoeba isolates from four AK patients were compared to Acanthamoeba isolated from the patient's home. The association between sampling sites was analysed with the chi-square test. RESULTS A total of 513 samples from AK patients and 189 from CL controls were collected. The yield of FLA was significantly greater in patients' bathrooms (72.1%) than CL controls' bathrooms (53.4%) (p<0.05). Spouts (kitchen 6.7%, bathroom 11%) had the lowest rate of Acanthamoeba isolation compared to drains (kitchen 18.2%, bathroom 27.9%) and overflow (kitchen 39.1%, bathroom 25.9%) either in kitchens or bathrooms (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the average prevalence of Acanthamoeba in all three sample sites in kitchens (16.9%) compared to all three sample sites in bathrooms (21.5%) and no association for Acanthamoeba prevalence between AK patients and CL controls. All four corneal isolates had the same coxA sequence as at least one domestic water isolate from the patients' sink of the kitchen and the bathroom. CONCLUSION The prevalence of Acanthamoeba and FLA was high in UK homes. FLA colonisation was higher in AK patients compared to controls but the prevalence of Acanthamoeba between AK patients and CL controls domestic sinks was similar. This study confirms that domestic water isolates are probably the source of AK infection. Advice about avoiding water contact when using CL's should be mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Sophie Connor
- Research Organisation (KC) Ltd, London, England, United Kingdom
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Alkatan HM, Al-Essa RS. Challenges in the diagnosis of microbial keratitis: A detailed review with update and general guidelines. Saudi J Ophthalmol 2019; 33:268-276. [PMID: 31686969 PMCID: PMC6819704 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjopt.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of microbial keratitis (MK) is variable worldwide with an estimated 1.5–2 million cases of corneal ulcers in developing countries. The complications of MK can be severe and vision threatening. Therefore, proper diagnosis of the causative organism is essential for early successful treatment. Accurate sampling of microbiological specimens in MK is an important step in identifying the infective organism. Corneal scrapping, tear samples and corneal biopsy are examples of specimens obtained for the investigative procedures in MK. Ophthalmologists especially in an emergency room setting should be aware of the proper sampling techniques based on their microbiology-related basic information for each category of MK. This review article briefly describes the clinical presentation and defines in details the best updated diagnostic methods used in different types of MK. It can be used as a guide for ophthalmology trainees and general ophthalmologists who may be handling such cases at initial presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hind M Alkatan
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University-Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Saud University-Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rakan S Al-Essa
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University-Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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